Big question to me is that whether buy new Macbook Air from US Mac store with Apple Care or buy from NZ retailer, there are about 25~30% price difference at current exchange rate, which just covers extra Apple Care and shipping.

I suspect in most cases where you involve the Disputes tribunal or CGA, if you are dealing with a company that represents a global brand, its more about them not wanting bad brand publicity than anything else.

In my personal opinion (as an employee of an Apple service agent) AppleCare is always better than a retailer's warranty. I often have to deal with irate customers of another retailer who have been handed off to us just because we would do the repair, and if the Limited Warranty has expired (as it often has) we have to send them back.

In terms of the CGA, I agree that AppleCare doesn't offer much more (apart from the international coverage) but it makes the whole process a hell of a lot easier. For a personal purchase, if you're willing to try the CGA with Apple and you're not traveling overseas, then go ahead without AppleCare (and if you change your mind, then you have 12 months to get it).

bazzer: When you go to the Tribunal, you have to pay the lodgement fee, right? I guess the company never reimburses you for that?

From their website here are the fees you pay:

You need to pay the following fee to the Tribunal when you lodge your claim from 1 July 2011.If the total amount sought under the claim is less than $1,000 $36.30If the total amount sought under the claim is $1,000 or more but less than $5,000$60.40If the total amount sought under the claim is $5,000 or more$120.80

For the sake of $36.30 (chances are the repair wouldn't be more than a grand, but it may be) it is probably a lot cheaper than any other alternative (and hopefully it won't come to that!)

As a side note, I was preparing to take a company to the tribunal, once I asked them for the correct address to send legal documents (I couldn't quite figure out where to have the tribunal send the paperwork), they gave me what I was asking for.

wreck90: I've made 2 disputes tribunal claims this year, and both times the retailer knew they would lose and settled outside court.?

Last year, I had about 3 occasions (apple, lenovo, and ford) where I threatened to take them to the tribunal but they decided they didn't wish to do that and they paid repair costs.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It sounds like retailers are becoming more aware of their obligations than they were a few years ago.

Interestingly, I made another repair claim against ford this year, and they didnt pay out until they received the summons so Ford are inconsistent. ? The build quality of my Ford has been very poor, so many things have gone wrong both inside and outside warranty.?

What sort of Ford, out of interest? I'm thinking of buying a Focus, but maybe a Japanese alternative would be a safer bet.

sorry to hijack - fords are built like tin cans. good mechanics and design but horrible comfort (seats, plastics, road noise, bumpiness). don't know why they're so highly rated. that's coming from toyota and honda fan though ... ok back on track!

Shin: Big question to me is that whether buy new Macbook Air from US Mac store with Apple Care or buy from NZ retailer, there are about 25~30% price difference at current exchange rate, which just covers extra Apple Care and shipping.

Any suggestions?

Which store were you thinking of importing from? I'd love to know where I can get Mac stuff sent from the US!

As a Pom, I have to say that the CGA is a fairly useless piece of legislation and I have no idea why people think it is so good.

The EU has a mandatory 2 year warranty on electronic goods for a start; in the UK, if you buy goods with a credit card, the credit card company has joint liability if the goods are faulty - just to name two ways things could be better.

The CGA says things must last a 'reasonable' time. IME, any legal document using the word reasonable is merely a charter for lawyers to make money. A fixed period (such as the EU 2 years one) is a MUCH better route and the CGA needs a real overhaul to drag NZ retail practices into the 21st century. To have a principle consumer law that allows for someone to weasel out by arguing about what 'reasonable' means is silly. Just makes too much work for the claimant and allows the company concerned to stonewall behind lawyers that are on their payroll anyway.

I get Applecare every time. It is getting increasingly expensive but so far I have never once had any disagreement when getting work done - they do it first time every time and that is worth something to be honest.